Netherlands · Delft
About this opportunity
TU Delft is hiring a PhD candidate for the NWO-funded Nature 4 Homes project. You will design and test natural building skins — façades that combine plants, circular materials and smart passive ventilation — to make existing dwellings more heat-resilient without energy-hungry air conditioning, while also boosting biodiversity.
The research mixes co-creation with residents and manufacturers, full-scale prototypes tested under real weather at TU Delft’s outdoor MATELab façade facility, user comfort experiments, circularity and life-cycle assessment, and simulations. You will be based in the Architectural Engineering + Technology department (Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment) and work with the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, a postdoc and three other PhD candidates.
It is a paid job, not a scholarship: you are employed for four years (1.5 + 2.5-year contracts) with a salary rising from €3,204 to €4,051 gross per month plus holiday allowance and end-of-year bonus. You need an MSc in architecture, architectural/civil engineering or a related field and excellent English.
Who can apply
MSc in architecture, architectural engineering, civil engineering or a related field. Interest in building physics, human perception, building design and climate change; motivation for experiments, prototyping and environmental assessment; affinity with measuring and modelling indoor and outdoor conditions. Excellent spoken and written English (TU Delft Graduate School requirements). Open to all nationalities; TU Delft runs a knowledge-security check in the final stage.
- Eligible nationalities
- All nationalities
- Study level
- PhD
What the funding covers
€3,204–€4,051 gross per month
Paid employment as a PhD candidate under the Dutch universities' collective labour agreement: €3,204 rising to €4,051 gross per month (year 1 to year 4, full-time 38 h), plus 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus. Health-insurance discounts, monthly work-costs contribution and relocation support (Coming to Delft Service, dual-career programme).
- Tuition Covered
- Stipend or salary Covered
- Travel Not stated — check the official page
- Accommodation Not stated — check the official page
- Health insurance Partly covered / varies
"Not separately covered" means the provider does not pay for it on top — you pay it yourself, usually from the stipend if there is one.
Documents & tests
- CV highlighting relevant projects and achievements
- Motivation letter (max. 600 words) on your interests and fit with the position
- Copies of BSc and MSc degrees and transcripts
- Names and contact details of at least three references (no letters yet)
- Tests
- English proficiency at TU Delft Graduate School level (see its admission requirements)
- Application fee
- Not stated — ScholarsChapter itself never charges a fee
How to apply
- Apply online with the "Apply now" button on the TU Delft vacancy page by 11 November 2026.
- Upload CV, motivation letter, degree copies and transcripts, and three referee contacts.
- Applications by email or post are not processed.
- Questions about the procedure: Paulien Stastra, HR Advisor — recruitment-bk@tudelft.nl.
Before you apply
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Program dates
- Program dates
- 1 Mar 2027
- Duration
- 4 years: 1.5-year contract with a go/no-go review within 15 months, then 2.5 years
PhD position details
- Supervisor / research group
- Marc Ottelé, Alessandra Luna-Navarro and Atze Boerstra (AE+T and Materials, Mechanics, Management & Design departments)
- Project description
Part of the NWO-funded Nature 4 Homes project. Develop and demonstrate affordable, easy-to-install natural building skins — vegetation, circular materials and passive cooling/ventilation — that keep existing homes cool and healthy during heatwaves while supporting biodiversity and circular renovation. Methods: co-creation with residents and industry, successive full-scale prototypes tested outdoors at TU Delft's MATELab façade facility, experiments with users on comfort and acceptance, life-cycle and circularity assessment, and numerical simulation across building types and climates. You work with a postdoc and three other PhD candidates.
- Employment contract or studentship
- Employment contract (PhD candidate, CAO Dutch Universities)
Quick answers
Who can apply for PhD Position: Natural Building Skins for Heat Resilience?
Open to all nationalities. Level: PhD. See "Who can apply" for the full rules.
Is PhD Position: Natural Building Skins for Heat Resilience fully funded?
Funding type: Fully funded, Salary. Amount: €3,204–€4,051 gross per month. Covers: tuition, stipend or salary. Not separately covered: health insurance (partly).
What is the deadline for PhD Position: Natural Building Skins for Heat Resilience?
The deadline is 11 Nov 2026 (Dutch local time, as stated on the vacancy). Status: Open now. Always confirm the date and time zone on the official website.
Does PhD Position: Natural Building Skins for Heat Resilience require IELTS or another test?
English proficiency at TU Delft Graduate School level (see its admission requirements).
How do I apply for PhD Position: Natural Building Skins for Heat Resilience?
Apply online with the "Apply now" button on the TU Delft vacancy page by 11 November 2026. Apply only on the official website (careers.tudelft.nl). The full steps are listed under "How to apply".
Is there an application fee?
No fee is stated in our record. ScholarsChapter never charges a fee, and no agent can sell you a place.
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Verification
- Information
- Verified against the official source. This confirms the details we list — it does not mean applications are open; see the application status above.
- Official source
- careers.tudelft.nl
- Last checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Listing updated
- 20 Oct 2026
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